Comparative Assessment of Radiation Interactions and Radiation Response Indicators in Biodegradable Magnesium Alloys

Biodegradable magnesium alloys have emerged as promising candidates for temporary orthopedic implants due to their favorable mechanical properties, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. However, their radiation interaction characteristics and radiation‐induced damage behavior remain insufficiently understood despite the potential exposure of implants to ionizing radiation during medical imaging and radiotherapy procedures. In this study, a comparative assessment of radiation interaction characteristics and radiation response indicators in WE43, JDBM‐1, Mg–1Ca, and Mg–Ca–Zn was performed. Photon and neutron interaction parameters were evaluated. In addition, secondary particle production, displacement per atom, and total ionizing dose were investigated. The maximum deviation between MC simulations and theoretical calculations remained below 5.5%. Among the investigated materials, WE43 exhibited superior photon attenuation and thermal neutron absorption. WE43 reduced thermal neutron transmission by more than an order of magnitude compared with the remaining alloys. However, this enhanced attenuation capability was accompanied by significantly higher secondary gamma‐ray production and increased radiation damage under thermal neutron irradiation. Furthermore, neutron irradiation produced substantially greater displacement damage than photon irradiation, highlighting the dominant role of neutron‐induced nuclear interactions in atomic displacement processes. The findings suggest that comparative radiation response indicators may represent an additional material selection criterion for biodegradable orthopedic implants intended for radiation environments.